Reports: Comcast To Buy Time Warner

Comcast is expected to announce its acquisition of Time Warner on Thursday, various media outlets report.

Bloomberg, citing "four people familiar with matter," says Comcast will buy the cable company for about $44 billion, "combining the largest two U.S. cable companies in an all-stock deal."

The New York Timesreports that Comcast and Time Warner don't currently compete in many markets. But, it adds:

"Nonetheless, regulators will surely look carefully at the impact on the deal to consumers, and may also focus on whether the combined company will have additional power in negotiations with cable networks, a recent source of tension in the industry."

Comcast announced its acquisition of NBCUniversal from General Electric in February 2013. As the Times notes, "the latest deal would be its second big act to radically reshape the media landscape in the United States."